Nothing Nevermore
by ringbearers-gaurdian
Summary: AU events of KH2. Axel's lost his bestfriend, what more does he have to loose before he realizes the organization isn't worth it. Demyx may find another reason to look for a heart. Riku learns a little more about light. Sora searches for the others. And t
1. Why?

Author's Note: Totally AU, but for a friend's birthday coming up. Eventually this will boil down to at least TWO Organization members switching sides... one you expect, another you might not.

Title: Nothing Nevermore.

Pairings: Roxas/Namine, Sora/Kairi(subject to change if the author feels like it), Riku/OC, Demyx/OC, Axel/OC

Rating: PG-13/R

**Disclaimer: Don't own Kingdom Hearts, or any of the characters from it. I'm just doing this as a gift. **

* * *

The strikes echoed about the chamber, over and over, growing harder, underlaid with the sound of heavy breathing. Muscles strained, vying to keep. Sweat drenched each. Hard gazes were exchanged, each fighter commited to his or her role. 

"You can't win this." He snarled, striking downward with his weapon.

"You've already lost." She hissed in return, holding her guard with the Phoenix Song. "Namine, RUN!" She cried over her shoulder, seeing the blonde girl run for the passage.

"Give this up, girl!" He growled, swinging again.

She swung hard with her keyblade, striking for any weakness she could. Her body was tired, he was far better then she was, but her heart refused to give up. Her heart kept her in the battle.

He sneered, seeing her obvious fatigue. "You're a Nobody. Why are you doing this?! Give up and come back now!"

"Never." She breathed, finding her opening and lunging, driving the glittering keyblade in hard. She lept back, catching her breath as her rival fell hard across the room. "Siax, you should have known better!" She yelled, before turning. She sprinted after Namine, in time to strike nobodies from in front of the girl.

They ran together, the older girl, protecting Namine. But it was all in vain. "Kitana!" A harsh cry pierced the air, Xemnas appeared, followed by Demyx and Axel.

Kitana skidded to a hault in front of Namine, her red hair swinging with the movement and she brandished her keyblade once again, putting Namine behind her.

"Foolish girl!" Xemnas sneered, starting to raise a hand.

"You can't do this Xemnas! You can't stop what's already in motion!" Namine cried.

"Can't I?" Xemnas replied sarcastically. The orb began growing in his hand.

Kitana tightened her grip on the Phoenix Song, sneering at Xemnas. "Do it, Xemnas! You're tired of me anyway! And I'm obviously no longer FIT for the Organization! So just DO IT!" She challenged.

Xemnas smiled evilly as the orb grew, surging with darkness.

This startled Axel. "What are you doing?!" He snapped.

"Do it!" Kitana screamed, before tossing the key blade at Xemnas. "You put this curse one me! END IT!"

Xemnas ignored Axel, his focus on Kitana. The keyblade flashed as it hit the ground, then vanished, only to reappear in Kitana's hand. Kitana screamed in rage and lunged at Xemnas, intent to give him a better target. "Xemnas, no!" Demyx shouted as the orb was releashed, soaring straight for Kitana, who'd shut her eyes and braced for the impact.

* * *

But that impact never came. Or least, it was not the impact Kitana expected. A body slammed into her, knocking her through a darkness portal, driving her away from Xemnas' attack. They landed hard on the ground as another hole opened up to releash them, and all Kitana heard was crickets, rather then her own screams of pain. All she smelled was sweet grass, rather then burning flesh. All she felt was the body still pressing her to the ground. 

She snapped her green eyes open and looked up into another pair of green eyes. They looked like Absinthe, a strange contradiction to her own dark emeralds. His own hair was a shade lighter then her's, still flame red. Their noses were mere centimeters apart.

She blinked rapidly, as he began to grin cockily. "Axel?!" She found her voice, though it was broken.

This seemed to pull him out of the moment and he jumped back, climbing to his feet. "What?!" He demanded back.

"Why did you do that?" She asked, clearly confused, she peered at him, still laying on the ground.

He looked at his feet, rather then her, and rubbed the back of his neck a moment, before snapping. "Because!"

Kitana cocked her head to the side, giving him a look as she propped herself up on her elbows. "Because?! What kind of answer is THAT?!"

Axel glared back at her, darkly as she climbed to her feet. "He would have killed you, Kit." He hissed dangerously. "Technically, I should do the same!? You've betrayed the Organization, NO ONE betrays the Organization. They will get you."

Kitana turned her eyes from looking around her surroundings, the dark sky, the high sweet green grass, the single path before her, to Axel and regarded him oddly. "Maybe." She said softly, a soft smile on her lips. "You did buy me some time, Axel...maybe I can make it after all.."

Axel sprang forward again, and grabbed Kitana by the shoulders. "Don't you get it?! If Xemnas doesn't kill ME for this, he'll send me to do the job!" He breathed, his lips near her ear. His grip was hard, and he held her absolutely still. "And I don't know about you, Red, but I don't want to be the one!" He kissed her ear, his breath teasing her skin.

Kitana shivered, despite herself, knowing Axel's words were entirely true. "Then you shouldn't have saved me, Axel." She replied softly, turning her face upward to look him in the eyes again. She wasn't exactly sure what was going on at this moment.

For as long as she'd been in the Organization, she and Axel had been rivals, always vying for Roxas' attention. Kitana was fond of Roxas, as a friend, he'd been the only one to actually be kind to Kitana from her arrival amung them. But Axel had seen her as a rival to his best friendship with Roxas and had been merciless on her at times.

But then, there were times, Kitana would look over her shoulder to find Axel staring at her, with an odd expression.

He let her go, taking a step back, his head lowered. "I had to, Kit. He would have done the same." He sighed deeply, looking up at the sky for a long moment as she stared at him. "Go. Run, Kit, now! Get away from me!" He said finally, looking back down at her.

Kitana took a tentive step forward, reaching out a hand. "Axel...come with me..." She whispered, not sure why she said it, but it seemed like the right thing to say.

"I can't." He replied softly, a look of frustartion in those Absinthe green eyes. "Go! Before any of the others show up!"

"You can Axel..." She replied, but found herself stepping back.

"I can't!" He yelled suddenly, and he brandished his chakrums. "Don't make me do this, Kit!" He hissed.

"Axel..."She gazed at him a moment, sadness in her own eyes, before she turned and fled, before it came down to a fight amung them.

Axel watched her run, sheathing his bladed wheels. "I'm sorry, Kit. Forgive me..." He whispered, before snapping his fingers. He ignored the mass of nobody dusks that appeared. "After her." He growled, pointing in Kit's direction.

Kitana ran, she could hear the dusks chasing her. But it was only dusks, and none of the others. "Thank you Axel..."She breathed softly, glancing upward a moment. She'd seen it in his eyes.

She hated leaving him, knowing he'd be at Xemnas' mercy for saving her, when he returned to the castle. She knew what kind of pain Xemnas would inflict and prayed silently, that he wouldn't obliterate him. "Hold on Axel...just for awhile..."

She could hear the dusks baring down on her and as she turned to fight, a shadow portal opened up again behind her. Kitana spun, facing the black cloaked figure, then spun again as dusks came to a stop before her, or behind her.

Then the impossible happened, the black cloaked figured sprung past her, attacking the dusks. There weren't many, and the figure made quick work of them, before finally turning to face her. Kitana contemplated brandishing her keyblade, but the figure pointed to the shadow portal.

"Never! I will NOT go back!" Kitana cried, brandishing the Phoenix Song again.

The figured seemed to shake his head, then lunged, and knocked her back through the portal. Kitana let out with a scream as the darkness covered her. A scream on her lips, she never expected. "AXEL!"

Axel heard the yell and cringed, full of regret, before vanishing to the spot where the dusks had stopped, to capture Kitana. He expected to find them holding her down. But when he arrived, he found only traces of slain dusks and no sign of Kitana. He looked around wildly. "Kit?" He asked the night air about him, but heard only crickets in reply. "Kit?!" He turned wildly in his spot, looking in every direction. "Oh shit..." He breathed finally. Kitana was gone

* * *

."Wake up." A deep voice said calmly. 

Kitana struggled to rise from the rising swirl of darkness, struggled towards the voice.

"That's it, wake up." The voice encouraged.

Kitana's dark green eyes fluttered open and she looked up onto a red masked face. "W-who are you?!" Was the first thing off her lips.

There was a sardonic smile. "You may call me Diz. And you are most fortunate that my associate found you when he did."

Kitana looked past Diz's shoulder, to see the cloaked black figure, and a raven haired girl of sixteen or seventeen.

* * *

Axel sighed deeply, his shoulders sagging, before he turned and opened a shadow portal back to the castle. "Well, if he don't kill me, Kit, guess I'll see ya later." He muttered to the darkness, before stepping through the portal. 

The moment he appeared, he was surrounded by Nobodies. Xaldin and Saix appeared, trailed discreetly behind them by Demyx. Saix smiled wickedly and snapped his fingers. The Nobodies, the bigger ones, attacked.

Axel momentarily considered fighting them off, they wouldn't be to much of a problem for him. But then, what would be the use? Where would he run? So he allowed them to over throw him, pinning him to the cold hard floor.

"The Superior is very disappointed in you, Axel." Saix said in a soft voice walking closer.

Axel raised his head from the ground, and smiled cheekily. "Well, I think my work here is done!" He replied coldly, despite the smile.

Saix chuckled and crouched next to Axel. "You're lucky, Axel. You're lucky he isn't going to kill you. It would be awfully hard to replace you, Number Eight. But that doesn't mean you wont suffer...can you remember what pain is, Axel?"

Axel's smile slipped a notch, but his sarcastic nature still held. "Gee...I don't know, Saix...might have to think on that..."

Saix chuckled again then stood, nodding to Xaldin. "He's all yours."

"Saix, you slimly son of a bitch!" Axel growled, trying to get up from under the nobodies. But he heard Saix just laugh as he vanished through a portal.

Xaldin stood, grinning down at Axel. Then lunged, grabbing a hold of the redhead's neck, hoisting him off the floor. "A little fun then..." He smirked.

Axel pulled his face back and spat, right in Xaldin's face, in defiance. "Do your worst." He hissed, fire in his eyes.

Xaldin's reply, was to slam Axel hard into the wall, before mercilessly beating him, over and over again. Demyx turned away, grimacing each time he heard Axel moan in pain. But he had to give Axel one thing, never once, did the red head cry out or scream.

When Xaldin was finished, he left Axel lying in a corner of the cold room, bloody and bruised, almost beyond recognition. Demyx crossed over to the spot and bent down, touching Axel's shoulder.

Axel jerked his shoulder away, hissing in pain and looked up at Demyx with a cold look. "Thanks so much, _pal_." He sneered.

"Axel, what could I do...you know I could never stand up to Xaldin." Demyx replied, biting his lip.

"But you didn't even bother considering...helping me?" Axel questioned.

Demyx cocked his head to the side. "But Axel...we're..."

Axel shoved him away. "Never mind!" He growled, before wiping the blood off his lip. "Well look at that...least we can still bleed." He sneered sarcastically.

"I didn't know Nobodies could bleed." Demyx muttered softly, looking at the red droplets on the floor.

"Course we can. We can fade away, can't we?" Axel snapped back, sarcastically, before rolling over, groaning from the pain as he sat up, against the wall.

Demyx was still biting his lip, then asked softly. "Why'd ya do it, Axel?"

Axel sighed, staring hard at the tile floor. "Let me ask you a question, Demyx. If we're nobodies, and we have no heart...can we...care about what happens to another one our kind?"

"You mean, Kitana...?" Demyx asked.

"Yeah...I think so...I don't...know why I...saved her..." Axel muttered, drawing his knees up slowly.

Demyx frowned. "There's talk that they'll send Xigbar and Xaldin after her..." He said softly, gnawing on his lip. "The Superior was really really mad..."

"As if I didn't think he wouldn't be." Axel replied softly. "Leave me alone Demyx, I want to think."

Demyx sighed and got up. "Alright Axel..." He left the room with out another word.

Axel drew his knees up higher and rested his chin on them, looking upward towards the glass dome that was the ceiling of the room. Through it, he could partially see the heart shaped moon outside over the castle.

"Nobodies have no hearts..." He muttered, a hand going to his chest. He looked down at it. "Then why do I feel so...lost..." He frowned. "Kit...what did you do to me?" Slowly, he became lost in recent memories.


	2. Demyxs Question, Axels memories

Demyx shut the door and moved down the dark hall, weary of the others. He wanted a bit of peace. He wond his way through the halls, finding a secluded balcony and sat on the ledge. He stirred his finger in a small puddle of water, until he shaped it. At first it looked like Namine, then it shifted and became Kit. He swirled his finger about the long hair and twisted it more, until it became Axel.

With a slight smile, he twirled his finger more and it became some one else. He scooped up the figure and regarded it with his head cocked to the side. It was a slinder figure of a girl, near his own age. The water couldn't depict the girl's auburn hair, or blue green eyes. But she smiled warmly at him, a smile that was like sunshine.

"Hello Demyx." A soft voice said as Demyx placed the figurine safely upon it's puddle of water. He blushed deeply and looked over. The same girl from the figurine smiled that wonderfuly warm smile at him as she came over.

"Hello Avalon" Demyx said trying to hide the blush.

"Is that me?" She asked, gesturing to the figure.

"Just practicing..." Demyx muttered, about to squash the water figure.

"No, it's beautiful. You're getting better." Avalon said softly, sitting on the other side of the figure.

"I can make it others too." Demyx said enthusiastically, taking his finger and running it over the back of the little figure, and made it Axel again, then Kit and finally Roxas.

"I don't know why Saix isn't impressed with your abilities...if I had that ability, I wouldn't be stuck in the books..."

"Er...well," Demyx blushed again and ran a hand through his hair. "Some one had to take over research after...Vexen, you know..."

A silence settled between, Demyx watching the figure of Roxas walking around the puddle. Avalon watching him. Until she finally said. "I heard...about what happened..."

"Oh." Demyx nodded. "You don't know the half of it..."

"What do you mean?" Avalon asked.

"Well, did anyone tell you that Axel saved Kit's life..." Demyx asked.

"Axel saved Kit?" Avalon blinked.

Demyx bit his lip, then asked. "Loni, you know more about Nobodies then any one else here, other then Xemnas...Can I ask a question?"

"You just did," She smiled. "But go on."

Demyx laughed softly, then grew serious. "Loni...can Nobodies love?"

Avalon blinked. "What an unusual question...Why do you ask?"

Demyx grimaced, "You wouldn't believe me if I told you..." He muttered looking away.

"No, it might help me to answer the question more. Why do you ask?" Avalon encouraged.

"It's Axel...I wanted to know...cause...I think he might be in love with Kit..." Demyx practically whispered after looking around for prying ears.

"Oh..." Avalon breathed and looked thoughtful. "Well...we...that is, you, me, Kit and even Roxas, where ever he is...are younger members of the Organization. And...we can feel...just like others...but love? I'm not sure...I think you need a heart to do that..." Avalon said softly. She was silent a moment, then added. "But I think you may be right...about Axel...Why else would he save Kit from the Superior's wrath..."

"I know...it's the only thing that makes sense..." Demyx muttered.

"Well, it's logical, yes...He hasn't been Number Eight for more then..." Avalon paused. "Six years...And Vexen has notes of some of the others...their first years were emotion ridden. Some times, when a person doesn't give totally into darkness..." She trailed off, staring at the water figure of Roxas, who was peering back up at her.

"Thats why I cam to find you, Demyx!" She said suddenly as if just remembering. "I have to show you something! Come on!" She got up off the ledge and grabbed his hand, pulling him toward the door.

"What?" Demyx asked confused.

"I'll explain it when we get there." She led him down the halls, down stair cases, through twisting passages, until they arrived at a work room and she unlocked the door, leading him in, then stuck her head into the hall, looking around, before closing the door.

She hurried over to a table, with a stack of papers. "This is about Kit! Look!" She handed the papers to Demyx, who wearily took them and began reading.

After a couple minutes, he stopped, looking up at Avalon with wide eyes. "No way...it couldn't be!" He breathed.

"It is...It chills me to actually think of what Vexen and Xemnas were doing with her..." Avalon replied softly, gravely.

"Do you think any one else knows about this?" Demyx asked, gesturing to the papers.

"I don't think so...I think we're the only ones...besides Xemnas...and Vexen, but he's dead..." Avalon replied biting her lip, she picked up the papers after Demyx placed them on the desk.

"Kit...an experiment...but she's so...real..." Demyx whistled and stared at the ceiling. "Should we tell Axel...?" He asked her.

Avalon was biting her lip more. "Demyx...Kit is real...possibly more so then the rest of us...Vexen only wrote flawed...because I think she feels more then us... Oh! No! I quiet fancy not being a piece of toast the rest of my LONG and miserable life!" She replied to his question.

Demyx smiled slightly. "Yeah...you're right...he'd fry us for good..."

Avalon actually sniffled and Demyx looked shock to see tears in her eyes. "Poor Axel...he's lost his best friend...and now Kit...And Poor Kit...who knows what will happen to her..."

Demyx sighed and reached over, taking Avalon's hand. "They're strong...who knows...things may work out for the better in the end..." He gave her an encouraging smile. Avalon returned it, still holding Demyx's hand, as they stood there, staring down at the papers.

* * *

_"Heartless, they're all a pain in the ass." Axel sneered, watching the shadows scurrying below them as he perched on the ledge of the building._

_"But useful." Kitana said softly, from beside him._

_Axel snorted and looked over at her. "Why are we here again?"_

_"To destory heartless." Kitana replied, giving him a look._

_"Yeah, so why are YOU here?"_

_She rolled her dark green eyes, pulling the pony tail of her long hair tighter. "Because Roxas is gone...because the Superior ordered it, and because YOU always screw up some how."_

_"Hey! I resent that!" Axel replied incredulously._

_"Of course you do." Kitana replied with a grin, before leaping onto the balcony. "You ready for this?"_

_"Always." He whispered dangerously, grinning wickedly._

_Kitana smiled a bit more, brandished her weapon and lept from the balcony. Axel wasn't about to let her show off. Though he had to admit, she was worth watching, the way her hair swung, the way the lights bounced off her emerald eyes, her ivory skin. Axel blinked for a moment, shocked at his own thoughts. With a growl, he lept from the balcony, following Kitana, brandishing his chakrums as he went._

_Kitana landed softly, amidst the Heartless, who at once noticed her arrival. She ran the edge of the Phoenix Song around her in a circle, sparks kicking up, a glowing outline on the ground. She heard a soft thud behind her and felt the heat of flames. And spared a look over her shoulder to see the wickedly handsome master of flames._

_It wasn't as if Kitana DIDN'T find Axel handsome, he was something to look at it. It was just that she knew they'd never even be friends. They saw each other to much as rivals. Or did they? Lately she'd caught Axel looking at her differently. At first, she was amused by it, but then she began to wonder. Wonder if maybe...just maybe, something COULD happen between them..._

_"Keep up, sweets, I don't wanna have to save your ass." Axel hissed, before flinging a chukram at a mass of Heartless._

_Kitana snorted. "You wont have to, darlin'." She retorted, swinging her keyblade around and slicing through another mass._

_"Good." Axel flashed her a psychotic grin before launching himself into an attack._

_Kitana had to admit, she'd just been harassing him, when she'd said he screwed up everything. No one could fight quiet as good with fire, more then Axel. She took a moment to watch him._

_But this distraction proved her down fall. A legion of heartless, the bigger shadows appeared, surrounding her. She struck at them, trying to force them back, but her knee buckled and she went down. "NO!" She screamed as Heartless pounced from ever direction, covering her._

_Axel spun after riding himself of Heartless to see Kitana go down. "KIT!" He yelled, before his chakrums began to glow with fire. He ran towards the attacking heartless, slicing them into nothing, but still more appeared, covering Kitana. "Arg!" He launched himself at the group covering Kitana, slicing left and right with the fire laced weapons, knocking them off of her._

_Allowing one of his weapons to vanish, he grabbed Kitana's arm, pulling her to her feet. "I thought you said I wouldn't have to save you?" He growled but blinked._

_Kitana looked shaken, and she clung to him, her fists wraping around his cloak. "I can't do this, Axel." She replied in a shaky voice, looking up at him with wide fearful eyes. "There's to many!"_

_He stared deep into her eyes, and it was at that moment, something changed in Axel. He began to question the Organization's actions. He looked around at the Heartless, as they closed in. "Hold on, we're gettin' out of here." He whispered, before releashing his chakrum. At the same time, he opened a shadow portal, just as the remaining Heartless lunged at them from all direction. Kitana buried her face in Axel's chest._

_The moment the chakrum returned to his hand, Axel vanished it and wrapped both arms around Kitana, pulling her through the portal as the Heartless landed in the very spot they had been standing a moment before._

_The portal dissolved and Axel and Kitana appeared in a chamber of Castle Oblivion. She was still clinging to Axel. He was still holding her tightly. He looked up and around, seeing the chamber, then looked down at Kitana and a grin began to spread on his lips. "Hey...it's over." He said softly._

_She looked up at him, meeting his eyes, then looked about the chamber. "You...you saved me..." She whispered, her eyes still wide, but no longer fearful._

_"Er...well...what else was I supposed t' do?" He asked lamely, frowning._

_She began to smile. "You're not as heartless as you claim to be."_

_Axel frowned more and let go of her, half as much from her statement as much as from the sound of footsteps running their way. "Of course I am." He replied hotly. "I'm a Nobody, I have NO heart..."_

_Kitana bit her lip. "I didn't mean it like that..." She too heard the footsteps and the door opening._

_"What happened?!" Xigbar demanded._

_Axel looked away from Kitana, toward the others. "We got outnumbered." He replied simply with a shrug. "There were simply way to many Heartless for us to handle."_

_"Us?" Xaldin sneered, his eyes going to Kitana who stood silently, staring at the floor._

_"Yeah, US." Axel snapped back, giving the man a look._

_"You've never had a problem before." Demyx said, gesturing to Axel._

_"You weren't there. You wouldn't know." Axel replied sardonically._

_"Of course..." Xaldin agreed, but his eyes were still on Kitana._

_Axel looked back at her himself, and for a moment, he almost thought he saw tears in her eyes._

_

* * *

_

_He found her later on, on a balcony. She'd discarded her cloak, which lay on the rail next to her and was wearing a calf length black dress, that set off the shoulders. She was staring up at the heart shaped moon, that seemed to become more pronounced every time Axel saw it._

_He went over to the rail and leaned on it, next to her. They stood together in silence, both looking up at the moon._

_"Is it worth it?" Kitana asked finally._

_"What?" Axel asked softly._

_"Kingdom Hearts...is it worth it?" She looked over at him. He met her eyes, before turning to face her, leaning his hip against the rail._

_"Xemnas says it is...says it's the only way to get what we want..." He answered._

_"But what DO we want?" Kitana asked softly, looking back at the moon for a moment. "What do you want, Axel?"_

_"The same thing as everyone else in this organization." Axel answered, watching her._

_"A Heart? Do you remember your past, Axel...before you were a nobody?" She whispered, lowering her eyes to the railing._

_"Some." Axel answered, shifting a bit uncomfortably._

_"I think...I'm forgetting Axel..." She breathed, and he watched as sure enough, tears fell on her pale hands._

_"You haven't been here long enough t' forget..." Axel said frowning._

_"But I am...I've forgotten what it's like to really feel...happy...all I feel any more is...sad and confused...and lonely..." She trailed off._

_"How can you feel lonely? We're always around...there's Demyx and...and the others...and...me..." Axel said falling soft himself as he looked at his own hands. "I'm sorry..."_

_"For what?" Kitana asked, looking at him._

_"For...for what I said earlier." Axel said, grasping at anything he could._

_She laughed softly, once and looked at the moon. "You didn't say anything that wasn't true...we are nobodies...we can't feel anything!" She began crying more. "I don't want to be this way! I don't want to stop feeling, Axel! I can't take it!"_

_Axel took a few steps closer to her and hesitated, his hand lifted in the action to place it on her shoulder. He looked down at her, biting his lip, and threw caution to the wind. He placed his hand on her shoulder. Kit felt the warmth of his fire control, through his skin. He always felt warm, no matter how cold it was in this world._

_"Things...things will get better." He said softly, taking that last step that closed any distance between them. "You'll see..."_

_She turned her eyes up to him, searching his. "I want to believe you Axel..." She whispered softly._

_He found himself wrapping his other arm around her. "Then do..." He replied softly, holding her._

_She buried her face, in the crook of his neck, feeling for once, in a long time, secure. She clung to him, reveling in his warmth. Axel held her tightly, but gently, burying his face in her hair, inhaling her scent. He felt...at peace this way. He felt...happy, like she should be a part of him, and he, her. This felt right. He hadn't felt this good in a long time. Not since before Roxas vanished. He raised a hand, stroking her hair._

_"What do we have here?" Came a wickedly amused voice._


End file.
